Heart fundraiser held in student's memory

Heritage Lakes Elementary School once again is paying tribute to one of its past students this week with its annual Hoops for the Heart fundraiser.

The Carol Stream school is raising money for the American Heart Association. The school's students have collected sponsors and are spending some physical education classes shooting basketballs, jumping rope or practicing ball-handling skills.

The annual fundraiser, which was started by gym teacher Craig Shank as an event to honor his own family members who have faced battles with a variety of heart conditions, turned into an annual memorial service for a past student.

Two years ago this month, Brittany Valene, a third-grader who was being monitored by school personnel for a congenital heart condition, fainted at the school and died just days short of her 9th birthday and on the week of the school's annual fundraiser.

Shank has since named the event in the school's gymnasium in her honor. Brittany's parents have helped in the fundraising and organizing, as well as several past students from Brittany's class.

"It's just gotten bigger and bigger every year," Shank said, noting that he expects the school to raise roughly $20,000 during the event.

The students each found sponsors to donate money for the basketball practice session in the gym.

Brittany's mother, Mary Valene, spoke to the school in an assembly last month about her daughter and the importance of the fundraiser.

"It's quite an honor to know that Brittany's tragedy didn't happen in vain," Mary Valene said. "Because of her and the people who knew her, I'm flattered and honored to be connected to this cause. Because of her, lives will be saved."